Modern eMTBs are incredible machines. With their balanced geometry, beastly power and buttery suspension, they can turn the gnarliest trails into a playground. However, are these high-performance bikes also more prone to damage and wear? Could you be slowly ruining your eMTB without even realizing it?
In this guide, we’ll highlight 9 common mistakes that can prematurely wear out components on your electric mountain bike. Follow these tips to keep your bike running smoothly for seasons to come.
1. Let Gritty Mud Build Up
One major difference with eMTBs is that you’ll likely be riding them more often. Maybe you’re sneaking in laps after work or hitting the same local loop multiple times a week. Unfortunately, all this added mileage also exposes your bike to more grime.
Mud and grit splattering on your frame is mostly harmless. However, it can be extremely abrasive where moving parts come into contact. Picture all those small particles getting pressed between suspension components, cassette cogs, brake calipers or past seat tube seals.
Over time, this dirty paste literally sands away at frame paint, aluminum surfaces and bearing seals. Before you know it, a thin coat of grit has chewed through a shock shaft or brake line.
The fix: Cover high-wear zones in protective tape or guards. Brands like Invisiframe offer clear urethane strips that shield suspension linkage spots and downtubes. For extra insurance, run fenders to block crud being flung upwards by your tires. A simple $20 rear fender can save your frame thousands of particle strikes per ride.
2. Bang Up Your Crank Arms
On an eMTB, the additional motor and battery mass is centered around the bottom bracket area. Combined with wider Q-factor cranksets, this leaves your cranks extremely vulnerable to strikes.
It’s not uncommon for eMTB riders to bash their cranks on rocks and logs — especially when riding flats with no pedal cage protection. Factor in some sticky mud or trail debris and you’ve got a perfect recipe for scratched, dented aluminum.
The fix: Shield your cranks with stick-on plastic protectors. Brands like RockGuardz make removable guards that absorb impact while still letting you admire your fancy carbon cranks. You can also carefully wrap high-impact zones in helicopter tape.
3. Rub Your Tires on the Frame
Big, grippy plus-sized tires are one of the eMTB’s biggest advantages. By running low pressures with a high-volume casing, you get traction for days. However, this combo can also lead to disastrous tire rub.
When a huge tire is squished and rolled at an angle, sections of the casing can contact the chainstays or seat tube. Add in a mud-soaked trail and suddenly your tire is grinding away like sandpaper. Before long you’ll have a nice $100 gouge in your frame’s paint.
The fix: Resist the urge to oversize your rubber and stick within recommended wheel/tire specs. For example, the Rocky Mountain Powerplay is designed around a 2.6” rear tire for max clearance. A 2.8” version might technically fit, but flex and compression will likely lead to rub.
Also consider tough eMTB-specific tires like the Maxxis Assegai or Schwalbe Magic Mary. Their reinforced sidewalls give added clearance confidence so you can run low PSI without damage.
4. Prematurely Wear Out Your Drivetrain
You might feel like Nino Schurter, stamping out 745 watts of assist-boosted power. But all that human+motor torque takes a toll on chains, cassettes and chainrings. Compared to a traditional MTB, drivetrain wear happens about 3 times faster on an eMTB.
The fix: First, keep your drivetrain clean and lubricated to minimize friction. Degrease then reapply wet chain lube after muddy/dusty rides. Secondly, monitor chain stretch with a wear indicator tool like the Park Tool CC-3.2. Plan on swapping chains at least every 300 miles.
You can also upgrade to burlier eMTB-specific groups like Shimano STEPS. The steel cogged cassette and reinforced derailleur parts offer enhanced longevity over regular mountain components.
5. Fry Your Battery By Overheating
The beating heart of your eMTB is its expensive lithium-ion battery pack. Like a tropical animal, this battery needs to be kept within a strict temperature range or its performance dramatically suffers.
Storing your battery outside in extreme hot or cold can permanently reduce overall capacity. Rapid temperature swings are equally damaging, creating cell-damaging heat and contraction stress.
Direct sun exposure is one of the worst hot-battery offenders. Tests show that leaving an eMTB battery in a hot garage for just a few hours can cook its cells to the point of failure.
The fix: Store your battery indoors around 50°F/10°C if possible. This corresponds to the optimal operating zone for most lithium cells. If storing in a cold garage or shed, use an insulated container to protect from rapid swings.
When riding in hot weather, park your eMTB in the shade and avoid leaving the battery baking in direct sunlight. Consider some frame protection wrap to shield your downtube-mounted battery from solar heat gain.
6. High-Pressure Wash Your Bike
After a nasty rainy ride, it’s tempting to blast mud off your precious eMTB with a satisfying high-pressure spray. However, this risky washing method can inject water and debris straight into sensitive components.
Even “sealed” motors, batteries and control units can suffer leaks when hit with 100+ PSI water jets. And if existing drain holes and seals contain grit, blockages can form leading to corrosion and electrical shorts.
The fix: Use lower-pressure sprayers or hand wash methods instead. For super muddy builds, start by brushing off clumps before gentle hosing. Pay special attention to vulnerable ports and connections to avoid any high-pressure direct hits during rinsing.
7. Neglect Suspension Maintenance
Love railing berms like Sam Hill? All that aggressive riding adds up, especially for eMTB suspension parts seeing 30-50% more use than regular MTB setups.
Fork lowers and rear shocks need periodic oil changes and seal replacement to avoid developing play or blowing through travel. For example, Fox suggests full lower leg service every 30 hours on eMTB forks. Let that schedule slip and you risk bushing contamination and wallowy damping.
The fix: Mark your calendar and stick to prescribed maintenance intervals for your suspension. For example, plan a lower leg fork service once a quarter or every 40-50 rides. Budgeting $100-150 yearly will pay dividends in consistent ride quality and component longevity.
8. Run Puny Bike-Specific Rubber
Another advantage of eMTBs is the extra rotational mass to really stick tires in the dirt. But you need enough rubber sidewall to handle the added traction and torque.
Unfortunately, many bikes come spec’d with lightweight XC tires better suited for a 100 lb rider than a 15 lb motor/battery combo. When you rail into corners with 500W on tap, weak sidewalls fold over leaving you drifting instead of driving.
The fix: Upgrade to heavy-duty eMTB casings like the Maxxis Assegai or Schwalbe Eddy Current. Their reinforced sidewalls stand up to torque spikes without squirming while still rolling efficiently. An insert like CushCore or Huck Norris also adds security when really hauling into rock gardens.
Consider swapping your flimsy XC rubber even before it wears out. Braking traction and cornering leverage will improve instantly, saving you from an expensive crash or sidewall tear.
9. Ride Metal-On-Metal Brake Pads Dry
With an eMTB’s increased speeds and more aggressive use, brakes take a real beating. Extra weight coupled with big terrain can overpower undersized rotors leading to excessive heat and accelerated pad wear.
Take one steep descent too many on worn-out pads and you’ll blow through the friction material completely. Next thing you know there’s a grinding crunch as alloy backing plates chew into your $150 rotors.
The fix: Swap brake pads proactively as tread depth drops below 50%. Organic and metal sintered compounds last longer than resin while providing strong wet power. Carry a spare set on big rides as a failsafe if pads unexpectedly glaze over.
Visually checking rotor thickness helps avoid getting too thin too. And bleed brakes regularly to maintain a firm lever as fluid collects moisture over months of use.
Bonus: Loose Parts Go Missing
With all the added mixed-terrain assaults, it’s no surprise random bolts occasionally vibrate loose on an eMTB. And because of the extra bike weight, a missing bolt can lead to way more damage than on a traditional MTB.
Imagine hitting a jump with two loose shock bolts. When you bottom out the landing, there’s enough leverage to shear bolts completely leading to your shock flopping around unsupported. Or a stray stick catches your missing derailleur clutch bolt mid-ride, destroying your $400 XTR mech instantly.
The fix: Get in the routine habit of checking key mounting hardware and ensuring proper torque specs. It takes 30 seconds before or after rides but saves you from nasty surprises when things come apart unexpectedly. Rattle checks for loose headset spacers, brake adapters or stem faceplate bolts can also reveal issues before they escalate.
Save Your eMTB From Premature Death
Electric mountain bikes represent one of the most exciting advancements in cycling technology. Their advanced traction control, custom tuning options and near-silent operation deliver an unrivaled riding experience whether drifting singletrack or churning up steep pitches.
However, their high-performance pedigree also demands diligent care and maintenance compared to traditional MTBs. Follow these tips to ensure your prized eMTB stays running smoothly for years of maximum smiles per mile.
What maintenance mishaps have plagued your eMTB adventures? Let us know some horror stories (with a happy ending) in the comments below!
